Delay Windows programs launching at boot?

Question

On Windows XP I use 18 programs. In startup it makes 2-3 minutes to load all of them. Anti virus, translator, unlocker, file indexer, download manager, instant messenger etc..

I need all of them and they are on Windows system tray waiting for me to use. So I can't remove one of them, because I use them frequently. 5-6 times daily.

But I don't need them in the startup. So how can I delay the loading of these programs.

For example: - Anti virus, file indexer: in the startup - Translator, download manager, unlocker: 5 minutes after startup etc.

What solutions do you recommend?

Answer 1

Startup Delayer does the task: http://www.r2.com.au/page/products/show/startdelay

Answer 2

1. Create a batch file called "5minsdelayStart":

 @echo off
 rem sleeping for 300000 milliseconds (5 minutes)
 ping -n 1 -w 300000 -4 10.0.0.0 >NUL

 rem starting delayed start programs
 start cmd /C "C:\Some\Path\To\A\Program.exe"
 start cmd /C "C:\Some\Path\To\A\Shortcut.lnk"
 

1. Replace the commands at the bottom with the stuff you want to start up after 5 minutes delay.

2. Add this batch file to your startup folder.

Note: You might want to create a shortcut to the batch file instead, then set the launch options to start the batch file minimised. You'll have a command prompt in the background either way, but at least if it's minimised it won't be too much intrusion!

Also, if for some reason on your network 10.0.0.0 actually routes to something valid then you should change that IP address to something else (that doesn't have a route).

Answer 3

First remove them from run at startup.
Then make a batch program to run all of them.
So after your computer finish boot up, the first thing you do is run your batch program to load it all.